Mother Simpson (19 Nov. 1995)

To get out of cleaning a part as community service, Homer fakes his own death. When this results in the family's utilities being cut off, Marge puts pressure on him to reveal that he is ... See full summary »

Director:

David Silverman

Writers:

Matt Groening (creator), James L. Brooks (developer),

Stars:

Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Dan Castellaneta	...	Homer Simpson / Hans Moleman / Grampa Simpson / Hippie / Squeaky-Voiced Teen (voice)
Julie Kavner	...	Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)
Nancy Cartwright	...	Bart Simpson (voice)
Yeardley Smith	...	Lisa Simpson (voice)
Hank Azaria	...	Carl / Electrician / Chief Wiggum / Cab Driver (voice)
Harry Shearer	...	Montgomery Burns / Waylon Smithers / Lenny / Reverend Lovejoy / Ned Flanders / Records Clerk / Gravedigger / Howard Cosell / Kent Brockman / Post Office Clerk / Joe Friday (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Glenn Close	...	Mother Simpson (voice)
Pamela Hayden	...	Protestor (voice)
Harry Morgan	...	Bill Gannon (voice)
Maggie Roswell	...	Maude Flanders / Protestor (voice)

Storyline

To get out of cleaning a part as community service, Homer fakes his own death. When this results in the family's utilities being cut off, Marge puts pressure on him to reveal that he is alive. However, the spurious news of his "death" brings his long-lost mother - a hippie who is on the run from the law because of her activism against Mr. Burns - back to Springfield.

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Plot Keywords:

hippie | volkswagen bus | mother son reunion | 1960s | biological research | 

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 November 1995 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television, Gracie Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The song that Burns accidentally plays during the FBI raid on the Simpson house was suppose to be "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham! but the producers didn't want to pay the asking price of $25,000 for the royalties so it was changed to "Waterloo" by ABBA.

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Quotes

Chief Wiggum: [reading a tombstone, talks into his "radio"] Put out an APB on a Uosdwis R Dewoh. Uh, better start with Greektown.
Joe Friday: That's Homer J Simpson, chief. You're reading it upside down.
Chief Wiggum: Uh, cancel that APB. But, uh, bring back some of them, uh, gyros.
Joe Friday: Uh, chief, you're talking into your wallet.
[Chief Wiggum's wallet flips open]

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Connections

References Dragnet 1967 (1967)

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Soundtracks

"All Along the Watchtower"
by Bob Dylan
Performed by Jimi Hendrix

User Reviews

Simply Brilliant

This is one of the most touching episodes of "The Simpsons" I have ever seen. Homer's mother turns out not to be dead after all and he is reunited with her. But she is a wanted criminal on the run and Mr Burns wants her head on a silver platter...

All the cast do their usual great work, and Glenn Close makes a good guest appearance as Homer's Mom. But it's the ending that gets me the most - the writers and director made the right choice of not ending with any jokes at all, just with a still shot of Homer on his own watching the stars after saying goodbye to his mum. The music for this gets me every time and I start to blub like a little baby. The should have entered this for that year's Emmy 'cos it would have won fair and square! 8/10